John the Baptist Beheaded
Scripture
Matthew 14:1-12
Mark 6:14-29
Commentary
The story is presented as a flashback.
When news of Jesus' miracles reach Herod the tetrarch (not to be
confused with King Herod who was in power at the time of Jesus'
birth) Herod believes that John the Baptist has risen from the
dead.
Herod had married his brother's wife, Herodius.
Because John preached against this, he was thrown into prison to
silence him. On his birthday, Herod makes a poor promise
to his niece and must execute John the Baptist in order to
follow through with it. Previously he was afraid to have
John killed because of a possible uproar but now he feels that
he must follow through with his oath because he made it
publicly.
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